A group of people of principle from different walks of life, spanning the imperial court and the martial world, civil officials and military commanders, aristocratic clans and common folk, wage a bloody struggle for twenty years to protect Han traditions and the cultural legacy of China, composing an epic of loyalty and righteousness about doing what must be done even when success seems impossible.
The story explores the many forms of loyalty and righteousness, including the bond between ruler and subject, brotherhood, and duty to family and country. It reflects on the roots of the Southern Ming's downfall, from factional strife and internal conflict to a decaying system, and portrays the suffering and steadfastness of ordinary people amid the chaos of war.
It also reveals secrets from Qing history, including the tangled love and resentment between Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and Hong Chengchou, Shunzhi's fate, and the truth behind Kangxi's surname.
